PortAventura World and Endesa build the largest self-consumption photovoltaic plant in a Spanish resort
More than 11,000 photovoltaic modules installed on an area of 6.4 hectares, equivalent to 9 football fields, will generate 10 GWh annually and cover a third of the total energy required by the resort for its operation.
With an investment of close to 5 million euros, the construction, which will be carried out on land owned by PortAventura World, includes a plan for respectful integration with the landscape and the creation of an environmental education area.
The project is a further step in PortAventura World's total commitment to ESG and decarbonisation, which are cross-cutting to all its activities and are part of the Global Pact and the achievement of the SDGs.
Endesa, together with its energy services subsidiary, Endesa X, has become one of PortAventura World's benchmark suppliers in its process towards the use of renewable energy.
PortAventura World has announced that it has obtained the licence to build the largest self-consumption photovoltaic plant in a holiday resort in Spain and one of the largest in Europe: PortAventura Solar. The project, designed and built by Endesa X, involves the installation of a total of 11,102 ground-mounted solar panels that will occupy a total area of 6.4 hectares, equivalent to 9 football fields, within the resort.
The solar plant will have a capacity of 6.05 megawatt peak (MWp), which will enable PortAventura World to generate 10 GWh/year of clean electricity and cover practically a third of its energy needs, in line with its commitment to environmental sustainability.
The "Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural" of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the "Centre Recreatiu Turístic" (CRT) of Vila-seca and Salou have given the green light to the project, both at the administrative and building permit level, after almost four years since its projection in 2019.
Fernando Aldecoa, general manager of PortAventura World, pointed out that "the photovoltaic plant is, without a doubt, the major project for 2022, not only in terms of investment, but also from the point of view of the global corporate responsibility strategy that guides the company's decision-making in order to continue to be a benchmark in sustainable tourism".
Choni Fernández, director of sustainability at PortAventura World, has highlighted the relevance of the project within the company's sustainability strategy: "We are committed to sustainability, and the installation of this plant is a priority for our company in this regard. PortAventura Solar will help us take an additional step on the road to making our resort even more sustainable and powered by the energy it produces autonomously, as part of our actions to promote the use of clean and renewable energy sources and encourage decarbonisation and responsible consumption".
Antonio López, B2B manager of Endesa X in Catalonia, said: "We are proud to be able to accompany PortAventura World on this new journey towards decarbonisation and that it has trusted in our know-how to make it a reality. This project will mark a before and after in the way a major tourist and leisure destination like PortAventura World consumes energy, as it will start producing and consuming km0 energy and will gain energy independence to continue advancing in its sustainable development objectives, which is also an essential pillar for Endesa X".
The construction of PortAventura Solar, which will begin shortly on the land prepared for this purpose and will last around 4 months, will require an investment of more than 4.8 million euros and will be developed under a landscape integration and impact plan, with the aim of reducing its visual effect and preserving the environment and any archaeological artefacts that may be found in the area during the works.
It will also have an environmental education area that will be set up for visits by schoolchildren and for other educational and scientific dissemination activities.
In order to connect the solar photovoltaic system to the park's existing electricity infrastructure, a 25 kilovolt (kV) underground medium voltage line will be built and 6 MW inverters will be installed to transform the direct current into alternating current and raise the voltage to 25 kV. PortAventura World will operate the installation on an exclusive basis and will provide 100% of the financing for the project.
The installation of self-consumption infrastructures, together with other energy efficiency initiatives, is one of the key points in addressing decarbonisation in the services and production sectors. Endesa X's proposal facilitates the implementation of solar photovoltaic technology fully adapted to the needs of the companies it works with throughout the process.
Environmental management is a priority for PortAventura World, which is part of the UN Global Compact and seeks to promote the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the basis of its ESG commitments. The company seeks to preserve the environment through good practices that promote responsible consumption and continuous improvement, with new projects along these lines on the horizon. The resort is operationally neutral, offsetting Scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as 'zero waste'. Its next goal is to join the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative led by, among others, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).
The PortAventura World photovoltaic plant project is in line with Endesa's firm commitment to energy transition, under the commitment to reach 'zero emissions' by 2040, a decade before the limit set by the European Union to eliminate greenhouse gases.
PortAventura World Parks & Resort is one of the largest family holiday and leisure destinations in Europe and over its 26-year history has received more than 90 million visits. With a privileged location close to Barcelona, the resort operates 5 4-star themed hotels and 1 5-star hotel (PortAventura Hotels), with nearly 2,500 rooms, and a convention centre (PortAventura Convention Centre) with capacity for up to 6,000 people. Its commercial offer also includes 3 golf courses (two of them designed by Greg Norman) and a beach club with direct access to the beach. PortAventura World Parks & Resort also has a theme park, a Ferrari Land park, the only one of its kind in Europe, and a water park that is a world leader in Europe with a range of world-class attractions.
Endesa is the leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. It is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. It has an integrated generation, distribution and supply business and also offers, through Endesa X, value-added services aimed at electrifying energy use in homes, businesses, industry and public administrations. A new business line has also been created. Endesa X Way is dedicated entirely to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations' SDGs and, as such, is strongly promoting the development of renewable energy through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribution, and Corporate Social Responsibility. The Endesa Foundation is also active in this last area. The company employs around 9,260 people. Endesa is part of Enel, Europe's largest electricity group.
Endesa X is Endesa's business line responsible for energy efficiency. Endesa X, as part of Enel X Global Retail, is a leader in the development of innovative solutions that support the energy transition. It targets consumers, companies and administrations through a modular and integrated offer based on their needs and promoting the electrification of energy uses and digitalisation as drivers of new value creation. Endesa X's ecosystem of solutions includes products and services for the optimisation and self-generation of electricity and premium energy efficiency solutions, with the aim of helping customers to chart their energy roadmap. Globally Enel X Global Retail manages demand response services, with 6.7 GW of total capacity, has installed more than 2.8 million street lighting points worldwide and provides energy services to 62 million residential customers on a daily basis.
